And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.
And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
Eze 2:1. He said unto me- That is, the Divine Person or Son of God, whom the prophet had seen in glory in the preceding vision. Son of man is here understood to signify the same with a common and ordinary man. See Psa 8:4. And accordingly most commentators understand it as applied to the prophet, to remind him of his frailty and mortality, and of the infinite distance between God and man. See Calmet.
Eze 2:2. And the Spirit entered into me, &c.- That is, say some, the same Spirit which influenced and animated the living creatures. Calmet interprets it, the prophetic spirit; which, from ch. Eze 3:24 seems the most probable.
Eze 2:4. Impudent children and stiff-hearted- Children impudent of face and hardened in heart.
Eze 2:6. And thou-be not afraid of them- The prophets and messengers of God are often exhorted to take courage, and are promised a proportionable assistance in discharge of their office, without fearing any man's person, or standing in awe of any man's greatness. The expressions in this verse perfectly characterise a wicked people, who, having shaken off all restraint of religion and laws, will hear no reason, nor attend to the remonstrances of those who would instruct them in better sentiments.
Eze 2:8. Open thy mouth, &c.- The knowledge of divine truth is often expressed by the metaphors of bodily food and nourishment; and therefore, to eat the words of this prophesy, signifies to commit them to memory, and to meditate upon and digest them. See the 10th verse of the next chapter.
Eze 2:10. And there was written therein lamentations, &c.- That is, all the prophesies contained in this book consisted of God's judgments, and of the mournful events which he was about to bring upon Israel. See what was observed on the last note of the preceding chapter.
REFLECTIONS.-1st, The Divine Person who appeared in the foregoing chapter addresses the prophet by this title, Son of man, which may be considered as an humbling notice, lest he should be puffed up by the visions with which he was favoured, and the high commission bestowed on him; or rather as an honourable distinction, being the name which the Son of God himself would bear in his incarnation, of whom the prophet is appointed to be the type and figure.
1. He is commanded to arise and hear. Stand upon thy feet, from his lowly prostration, and I will speak unto thee, which implied favour and encouragement; and all who humble their souls before God, may be assured that they shall hear him speak to them in mercy. And with this command there went forth power; the Spirit entered into me, God's Spirit strengthening him to stand up on his feet, and qualifying him with gifts and graces for the discharge of his high office. Thus all our strength must come from Christ; he alone can enable us for that which he commands; and they who are sent by him, while they minister in his strength, shall find his Spirit with them to the end of the world.
2. His commission is given him. I send thee to the children of Israel, though they had long since justly forfeited all title to his regard; to a rebellious nation, or rebellious Gentiles, for such they resembled in their idolatries: hereditary transgressors, their fathers began their rebellion, and they had persisted in it to that day, by habit in sin become impudent and shameless, stiff-hearted and stubborn, who would not hear nor submit to rebuke: to them he is sent, to speak in God's name, and by his authority; and they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house) yet shall know that there has been a prophet among them. If they heard and repented, they would acknowledge and adore the goodness of God in sending them a prophet: if they rejected him, they should prove the truth of his mission by the accomplishment of the judgments upon them, which he pronounced. Note; (1.) God's patience is wonderful, not willing that the most rebellious sinners should perish. (2.) They who persist in their iniquities, notwithstanding all the methods of providence and grace that God has used to recover them, will be left without excuse. (3.) None can speak with authority, who have not a divine commission. (4.) Whether sinners will hear or forbear, God will be glorified, and his faithful ministers be honoured and approved by him.
2nd, Ezekiel was now appointed to his arduous office; and great courage it required to execute it with fidelity. Therefore,
1. God charges him to be faithful, notwithstanding all the opposition that he might expect. His abode was among briers and scorpions, wicked men, persecutors, subtle, malignant, venomous, whose words would be bitter, and their looks malicious, frowning, fierce: but he must not fear nor be dismayed at their threatenings, frowns, or ill usage; nor like them prove rebellious, and turn away from God, but attentively hear, seriously digest, and boldly declare the message which God would put into his mouth. Note; (1.) God's faithful ministers may ever expect to meet with unreasonable and wicked men; but they must not fear their faces, nor be intimidated to keep back any thing of the whole counsel of God, how much soever they may be exposed thereby. (2.) Though those to whom we are sent are never so rebellious and perverse, we are bound at least to deliver our own souls by continuing to testify against them. (3.) They who are sent of God must carefully adhere to their instructions, and speak his word without adulteration; not conniving at men's sins, or, through fear of offending, softening the sharp rebuke; lest by such unfaithfulness they become partakers of their guilt and ruin.
2. The roll, containing his message, is spread before him. When I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me, and lo, a roll of a book was therein; the hand of Christ who gave him his orders, and will support him in the discharge of his office: and he spread it before me, that he might peruse the contents, and through divine illumination understand them: and it was written within and without, on both sides of the parchment or vellum, denoting the multitude of matter that it contained; and this too the most afflictive, for there was written therein, lamentations, and mourning, and woe, both with regard to the present wretched state of the Jews, so greatly to be bemoaned, and full of terrible threatenings of greater wrath and judgments ready to fall upon them for their impenitence. Note; (1.) They who bear God's message must carefully peruse their Bibles, that they may be sure to speak as the oracles of God. (2.) Impenitent sinners can expect to hear from God no word of comfort, but wrath to the uttermost.
